Author's Note: Commissioned by Burdman

His heart was pounding in his chest as he approached the lone girl in the dress. A dress. It was still a sight to behold. She may have worn a skirt both in and out of classes every day, but there was something about seeing Ruby adorned in a beautiful red dress that shared her namesake which made her stand out particularly bright tonight.

"I see you're hiding at the punchbowl too," Jaune commented as he sidled up next to her.

With a translucent mesh on her dress which both revealed and concealed a modest bust, high-heeled shoes, and even a bit of makeup that was undoubtedly Yang-encouraged, Rub looked far older and more mature than a girl two years his junior.

Silver eyes shone as she turned her gaze to him, the soft frown on her face curling into a smile to greet her friend. "Yup."

Jaune held out his glass to her, its red contents swishing lightly as he spoke. "To the socially awkward."

Ruby chuckled, her light, musical laughter a welcome sound that was far more appealing than the classical music being played in the hall. A clink of their glasses celebrated the toast to their mutual dorkiness, and both took a sip of the sweet, sugary juice.

As his tongue cleaned the lingering punch from his lips, Jaune stared down into the red in his glass. Red. His whole world tonight was about red. Maybe tonight would be the night. Maybe this would finally be the night he told that nice, quirky girl he'd met on the first day of school how he'd felt about her this whole time. Feelings he'd been too afraid to confess not only due to a big sister who had a liking for punching things, but out of fear of ruining the amazing friendship he shared with the redheaded girl.

Ruby had always been there for him. From battling together against the creatures of Grimm during initiation, to the days where he'd doubted his abilities as a leader, Ruby had been a rock as strong as a diamond. Someone he could always lean on and depend upon. Just as much as he could Pyrrha.

"You look nice tonight," he commented casually, his voice concealing the butterflies that were fluttering in his stomach. "Not that you don't always look nice," he added quickly. "But a dress? Weird." Blue eyes widened, realizing what he had just said. Realizing that in his panic he was saying all the wrong things. "But not bad weird! Interesting weird! Not saying you're like a nature documentary or something that we should be studying… oh man. Just shut up now, Jaune…"

His wordy, lengthy rambling would have been the death of him with any other girl. But much to his surprise, Ruby giggled amusedly beside him.

"You look very interesting too, Mister Tuxedo." She hadn't been offended by his fumbling attempt at a conversation. Wonderful! "You clean up nice," she added.

Did he? Jaune's gaze fell down to his chest where a red bowtie sat atop a white button-up shirt. A black jacket with red lining and black slacks gave him a tall and slim appearance. More red. And Ruby's dress had a black sash around her waist. Honestly, they probably looked pretty good here standing next to one another…

"Thanks," he smiled bashfully. It wasn't every day a girl told him he looked nice. He wasn't about to reject the compliment. But at the same time now that they'd landed on a good note, he didn't want to screw things up anymore. Jaune's gaze cast out across the room, looking for something, anything, to talk about. "Is Weiss here alone?" he asked, seeing the girl in a pristine white dress fussing over a vase of white roses. "I thought she asked that Neptune guy out?"

Ruby shook her head. "Weiss came to the dance alone."

Now that was surprising. It had been clear to everyone in their little social circle that Weiss was head over heels for the blue-haired transfer student. He'd even flirted with the heiress a bit in the library a few days ago. Had he… turned her down?

A closer look at Weiss showed her frowning. A girl as beautiful as her should never frown. No guy should have ever given her reason to, either. Another glance over the room showed said boy with another group of people. Neptune was laughing and goofing around, having the time of his life. All while Weiss' attention was focused on fixing flowers…

That just wouldn't do.

Jaune felt an unfamiliar anger build up inside him, unhappy that one of his acquaintances, one of Ruby's best friends being rejected so harshly by the boy. "Hold my punch," he growled, doing his best to imitate the tone of the one-liners he'd heard in all his favorite Spruce Willis movies growing up.

Handing off his glass to Ruby, Jaune marched over to correct a perceived wrong. He may have had grand plans in his mind for himself tonight, but he wasn't about to stand idly by while his and Ruby's friend stood alone and unhappy on what was supposed to be a night to remember.

Ruby watched as Jaune stomped over to where Neptune stood, and placing a hand on his shoulder, led him outside to the balcony. She wondered what that was all about.

Idly she took a sip of punch, enjoying the fruity taste before bringing the glass back down. Staring down at its contents, she realized she'd just taken a sip from the glass in her right hand.

Jaune's glass.

Silver eyes widened in a panic. Would he care? Would he mind she'd stolen some of his drink? Or that her lips had touched his glass? Cooties may not have been real, but there was still a very real chance that spit could be swapped!

Wait. He'd drank from the glass already. His saliva could have been on the spot she'd drank from. Or in the very punch itself! It was… it was just like a kiss! Her first kiss! Kinda! Sort of. Maybe?

Ruby's whole body began to panic, wondering what she should do with the glass Jaune had just handed her. It felt heavier now despite the fact that she'd emptied a portion of its contents. She… she hadn't imagined her first kiss happening like this. Even though it wasn't a kiss! Indirect, if anything. Like in the Mistrali cartoons she used to watch. That she still secretly watched on her scroll when she had her headphones on and no one else was around…

Their meeting had been a bit like one of those romcom shows. A girl shows up on the first day of school and gets into an awkward and unintentional argument with another student. She'd felt so alone after Yang had abandoned her. So out of place. So… helpless.

Until a brave and gallant knight had offered his hand to her as she lay on the ground, and helped her to her feet.

Ruby's cheeks warmed at the memory of it. Of him. Of Jaune and his large, strong hand helping her back up to her feet. He hadn't been the smoothest or most charming guy in the world that day, but Ruby wasn't exactly an eloquent lady either. It had been one awkward dork talking to another. Somehow they'd made it work. Somehow they'd grown close. Became best friends. Leaders of different teams who lived right across the hall from each other. Like some sort of weird sitcom where the two could just step across the hall and see each other whenever they wanted.

Jaune returned soon enough, and Ruby was quick to hand his punch back to him. Whatever he'd done or said to Neptune hadn't taken long, but she noticed how the boy nervously approached Weiss. Her focus didn't linger for long as Jaune returned to his spot by her side.

"Here," she said hurriedly, handing his cup back to him. "I, um, I think some of it evaporated."

Jaune glanced down into his glass. "Looks like it."

Ruby nodded vigorously. "So… what was that about?" she asked, pointing over to where Weiss stood, a girlish smile playing on her lips as Neptune talked to her.

"Oh, that," he said, taking a sip of his punch.

Now it's like he kissed you! her mind screamed. Aaargh! Shut up, Ruby!

"I just, uh, had a little guy to guy talk with him," Jaune continued. "About why he turned Weiss down. I think Weiss' night is about to get a little happier now."

Sure enough, Neptune held out his hand for the heiress, who eagerly took it before the two strode onto the dance floor. Ruby felt her heart warm as her partner eagerly stepped up to the boy and they began to move with the rhythm of the music.

"That was sweet of you," she spoke softly, still grinning from ear to ear as she stared at the couple.

"You… you didn't want to dance, did you?"

The question made Ruby snap out of her daze and stare over and up at Jaune. "Oh, um… nope. Sorry."

"It's really not your scene, is it?"

Lady stilts? A dress? Dancing? Nope, nope and nope. "Nope," she vocalized this time.

"Ruby."

"Yeah?"

"Let's get out of here."

Her eyes narrowed as she gazed up at Jaune curiously. "What do you mean? Leave the dance? But…" Her vision returned to the floor filled with teenagers and even a few faculty members enjoying themselves. "We're supposed to be having fun here. It's supposed to be a night to remember."

"Yeah. Supposed to be," Jaune agreed. "But we're not."

Ruby frowned, and her gaze shifted to look down at the floor. At her obnoxious high heels. "I mean… we probably could. If we try."

"We shouldn't have to try to have fun. Ruby." The seriousness in which he spoke her name earned her attention once more. Jaune's eyes were set on her. "Wanna go down to Vale? Maybe do something that is a little more our scene like an arcade or something?"

An arcade? At night? Alone? With Jaune? Ruby glanced down at herself again. In her lady stilts. In her dress. In her makeup… going out alone with a boy at night… it would be kinda like a date, wouldn't it?

Her heart fluttered in her chest, but being socially awkward wouldn't have been a thing if her mouth flubbed what both her heart and her brain wanted. "It's kinda late, isn't it?"

Ahhhh stupid! she mentally chastised herself.

"Nah," he waved off dismissively. "Not for us. We're Beacon students, remember? No parents to tell us what to do or how late we can stay up. We make our own curfews here."

Give Jaune a leather jacket and some grease to slick back his hair, because right now in the young redhead's eyes, Jaune sounded like the coolest guy she'd ever met. He was right. They didn't have any adults around to tell them what to do. It wasn't school hours. And Yang? Yang was busy hosting the dance. Ruby could go out to Vale and stay up until like… eleven! No, midnight! Call her Ruby Rose, a rebel without a cause. Except playing video games.

Ruby found herself nodding to herself, into the idea of being a rebel with Jaune tonight. They'd go out and win all the tickets the arcade had! "You know what, Jaune? Count me in."

Jaune grinned, and took a step back before exaggeratingly bowing in front of her, offering a hand as if he were asking her to dance. "Then may I have the honor of you accompanying me down to the arcade tonight, my lady?"

She giggled at his stupid act, and gladly gave him her hand. "Why, I would be honored, good sir!" she played back.

Hand in hand, Jaune and Ruby left the dance to no fanfare. Who needed a stupid school dance when you could be playing games all night?

The bright lights and loud noises of downtown Vale were all around them as Jaune and Ruby walked side by side. Together. Alone. No friends or teammates accompanying them. Still clad in their formalwear from Beacon's dance, which neither had even thought to go and change out of in their mad dash to get down to Vale as quick as possible to enjoy the maximum possible gaming.

It felt a bit like a date.

As they neared the arcade building Jaune turned to his friend and gaming companion for the evening. "Anything you have in mind that you wanna do first?"

Ruby hummed thoughtfully for a moment. "Something with guns," she answered confidently. "Yeah, definitely guns. They'll probably have some cool shooting games, right?"

"I can't imagine them not," he nodded. A soft smile formed on his face, followed closely by an amused chuckle. "Of course you'd be into guns."

"And what's wrong with guns?" she asked, turning and peering up accusingly at him. "I'm good with guns! I bet I'll win way more tickets than you will in a shooter!"

"Oh I know you will," he agreed. "So I'll have to find a game I'm better at than you and beat you at it."

She stuck her tongue out at him playfully. "Good luck with that. I'm the Gaming Queen, Jaune."

"I'm the Gaming Emperor," he countered.

"Gaming Goddess!"

"Gaming… uh… what's higher than a goddess?"

"Nothing," she stated proudly. "Nothing stands above me."

"You sure about that?" he asked, placing a hand right above the top of her head and drifting it back toward him. His hand connected with chest just below the collarbone. "Seems like I'm standing above you by a pretty good amount."

Ruby's face scrunched up with annoyance. "Oh yeah? Well you know what they say. The bigger they are the harder they fall! Let's get to the guns!"

Stepping into the arcade, the coolness of the place's air conditioner hit them. As did the sights and smells. All around them were bright, flashing lights. Sound effects from all manner of video games and those of chance and skill littered the floor. The faint scents of grease and cheese filled their nostrils, and over near a small dining area they could see people eating a variety of unhealthy foods like pizza and burgers. All in all, Jaune felt home. Far more at home than a dance. He knew Ruby felt the same way.

"Over there!" she shouted over the noise of the arcade, pointing to something in the distance. "Let's go play that first!"

She grabbed him by the hand, eager to beat him at something after he'd lorded his height over her. As they grew nearer to the game in question, Jaune saw that it was a two-person shooting game in which a pair of teammates would fight off hoards of attacking Grimm. The rifles which they would use were attached to the large gaming station with a cord, ready to be hefted to slay the Grimm.

After exchanging lien for a generous amount of tokens, Ruby and Jaune took their places at the game. Each took up their rifles, though Ruby appeared far more comfortable in the way she shouldered hers, despite her smaller size.

The game began, and a hoard of smaller, unthreatening pixilated Grimm started to appear. Creeps and Beowolves crawled from the sides of the screen. Jumped up from obstacles on the screen. Leapt at teens, only to be shot down by the precise shots of the girl who stood by his side.

"Yeah you get back there!" Ruby taunted at the fake enemies. "Ruby Rose is in the house and she's gonna put you in your place!"

Jaune's own clumsy shots missed their marks a number of times, often taking two or three attempts to put down even the smaller of the beasts. As a result his 'character' took several hits to its hit points, while Ruby had taken no damage at all. A brief look up at the scoreboard showed him impossibly behind her in points.

Larger Grimm, Nevermores and Griffons darted down from the sky, making quick, swooping attacks at the pair of defenders. Ruby's reaction time was unparalleled, snapping off quick shots with her rifle and getting headshots almost every time. She was holding her side of the screen comfortably against the tide of Grimm. Jaune on the other hand…

Game Over.

He released a frustrated sigh, the screen flashing for him to insert more tokens to continue playing. A glance over at the redhead showed a girl with the utmost focus on her face. Silver eyes gleamed, reflecting the lights from the screen in front of her. She was in the zone. Her breathing was steady. Her muscles twitched only ever so slightly as her gun moved to train on each new attacker she faced. She was the epitome of courage under fire.

Gods, she looked pretty right now.

Jaune hadn't even realized the game ended until he saw Ruby's face finally relax. A smile curled on her lips, releasing a deep breath and setting her rifle down. "Aww yeah, high score!" she cheered. Jaune looked to the screen and saw she had indeed set a high score on the machine. She'd not only set one, she'd shattered the previous record. "What should I put as my name?"

The game would allow for three characters to indicate your identity. Sadly not big enough to fit Ruby. "What about RBY?" he suggested, as a phonetic pronunciation of her name.

She pondered the idea for a moment. "But that would leave Weiss out," she said randomly.

"Weiss?" he asked. "What does Weiss-" And then it hit him. Ruby. RWBY. Her name and her team name… how was no one ever confused by such a thing?

"I've got it!" she said before he could even voice his revelation. "How about…"

Choosing her characters, Ruby set the name of her high score to be R+J. Finalizing her answer, she smiled up at the initials which would most likely never be dethroned.

"Because me and you played together," she explained. "Ruby and Jaune. Makes sense, right?"

Never mind the fact that R+J was the kind of things that two young lovers might normally carve into a tree. With a heart shape carved around them… "Yeah, right," he agreed nervously. "I love it."

He loved it more than she realized.

Ruby stretched her arms above her head, groaning with satisfaction as her elbows popped. "Man that was good, and look at all these tickets!" she cried, looking to the large pile that had accumulated at their feet. "There's gotta be hundreds here!"

"Well you did shatter the old high score," he pointed out. "You earned them."

"I can't wait to see what I can get! But until then, what do you wanna do next?"

A glance around showed all sorts of games that they could play together. But Jaune needed something that he could beat her at now. Something that demonstrated his own skills. And more importantly, something that Ruby would struggle in. Scanning the room, he found one.

And Jaune smiled.

"You know, seeing how tonight is the school dance," he started as they walked over to the game Jaune had spied. "We probably should do some dancing."

Ruby eyed him cautiously. "You wanna go back already?" Her eyes narrowed on him. "Did I kick your butt too badly?"

Jaune grinned. "Not at all. I just figured that you'd enjoy a good dance. And what better way to dance than…"

He held out his hand, turning Ruby's head to show her the Dance Dance Revolution machine in front of them. It was a game that Jaune had mastered in part thanks to his sister's influence. A game which he knew he would dominate Ruby in, just as she had done with her shooting game.

Ruby's face paled as she looked at the arrows on the floor where her feet would be required to hit. "Haha, good one, Jaune…" she said nervously. "You're sure you don't want another shooting game? Maybe a racing one?"

"Nope," he said all too happily. "Let's play this one now." He paused for dramatic effect. "Unless you're scared I'll kick your butt at it."

Ruby's competitive spirit must have been stoked, and her lips pouted adorably. "Bring it on."

Slipping her heels off, Jaune and Ruby stepped onto the platform side by side in front of the screen which would dictate their movements. Slipping the tokens in, the game lit up with even more bright and colorful lights than before, and the music began.

Jaune's movements were fluid. Effortless. Right. Left. Forward. Back. Every command the game gave him was easily achieved by the boy who had been trained as a dancer by seven eager sisters. He might have been able to show off those moves tonight at Beacon's dance, but he was happy that he was deprived of the opportunity. He'd much rather show them off here at the arcade by Ruby's side.

A glance over to Ruby showed her movements. Even in his periphery they would have been hard to miss. She stumbled, moving as if she had two left feet, and either missing or hitting the wrong arrow almost as much as she hit the correct one. Frustrated whispers, sometimes accompanied by an adorable swear, mumbled from the girl's lips.

"Fudging… cheese and crackers…" she grumbled. "Gah! No!"

Jaune had to suppress his laughter as Ruby yelled at both the game and herself. There was something about watching this prodigy huntress, this elite warrior who had faced down the creatures of Grimm more times than he could count, struggle with something as easy as simple dancing footwork.

At least it would have been amusing before the girl slipped and lost her balance, sending her tumbling over to the side.

"Ah!" she cried, her legs falling out from underneath her.

And into his arms.

Jaune abandoned the game, moving as quickly as he could when he saw the girl next to him stumble. His outstretched arms wrapped around her, preventing her from taking a nasty spill onto the floor next to the machine and pulling her closely against him. For a moment they lingered, her body wrapped tightly in his embrace.

"You okay?" he asked, his earlier amusement replaced with soft concern.

She nodded in his arms. "Yeah. Just lost my balance."

"Can you stand? You didn't twist an ankle or anything did you?"

Ruby looked down, moving her feet and testing the strength of her ankles. "N-no, I think I'm fine."

"Okay. I'm gonna let go of you now, okay?"

A pause. Hesitation. Finally though, Ruby nodded. "Okay."

Jaune released her, the pleasant and warm feeling of her pressed against his chest replaced by the coldness of her absence. He couldn't help but feel saddened by no longer being able to hold his crush in his arms.

The game ended without them completing the song, but the tickets Jaune had managed to rack up from his earlier performance was still impressive. Ruby's on the other hand…

"Maybe we should try something we're both good at now?" he suggested. "And leave the competition a tie."

Ruby nodded in agreement, picking up her high-heeled shoes and slipping them back on. "Yeah. Sounds like a plan."

The two teens went off in search of more games. More fun. And, as Jaune privately thought, hopefully more opportunities to be close to her. Maybe even an opportunity to confess how he felt about her.

Yummy, cheesy, delicious goodness filled Ruby's mouth as she chewed. A tiny trail of grease dribbled down her chin, forcing her to dab it away with a napkin. A bready, tasteless crust was set aside. Arcade pizza wasn't exactly known for its tasty crust.

Who needed punch and finger foods at the dance when you had pepperoni pizza and soda? Truly it was a meal fit for the kings of old Remnant. Or in this case, the reigning queen and king of gaming.

So why was it that after just a single piece, Ruby felt full?

The redheaded girl stared down forlornly at the second slice of pizza down on her plate in front of her. At the remaining half of the pie on the table between where she and Jaune sat. She was full. How as she full! She could normally devour an entire pizza this size by herself. Yet somehow, someway, her appetite had abandoned her…

A look across the table showed Jaune devouring his pizza with the appetite of a rabid animal. No qualms about how much he ate. Or how he looked while eating it. No fear of looking like a pig. No, if anything he really did look like an animal. A hungry, strong, fearsome animal…

And she was such a dainty little lady, only able to stomach a single piece…

Could… that be the reason? Her body refused to let her look like anything other than a girl in Jaune's presence? Clad in her ruby-red dress and heels, with her pretty makeup on, out for a night on the town with a boy… her body and mind wanted Jaune to look at her like a girl rather than a friend?

"Full already?" the boy asked, as if reading her thoughts.

Ruby's eyes widened, looking up from the pizza to Jaune. "I, um…"

"I worked up a nice appetite from all that gaming," he said, grabbing a third piece from the pizza they shared. "But if you're full we can always bring it back to Beacon to eat later."

That might be the best option. Ruby's stomach was stuffed to capacity. Stupid romantic thoughts! Ruby attempted to nibble on her second piece, but it was to no avail. Her appetite simply would not allow her to eat any more without it being a struggle.

"Yeah," she agreed. "That sounds like a good idea."

They called for a take-home box soon after, and with their stomachs full of food and hands full of tickets, it was time to make one last stop before heading back to Beacon. It was time to redeem their tickets for prizes worth probably a tenth of the amount of lien they'd spent gaming.

The two teens approached the counter, splitting apart as they window-shopped the various prizes that could be redeemed. Stuffed animals. Inflatable novelty weapons. Even candy. There was a surprising amount of variety for various prices in tickets. But there was one thing that caught her eye more than anything else.

Sitting in the glass case of the counter was a simple little thing. Attached to a small key ring was a round X-Ray and Vav keychain. Made entirely of metal, it held ORF's adorable face in its center, with the words 'Orbicular Robotic Friend' circled around it. It was so simple, yet so perfect.

And she knew there was someone who would just love it.

After discretely completing the transaction, Ruby turned to see Jaune approaching her with a hand behind his back. She held the keychain behind her own, and as the pair stepped up to one another, held out their hands at the same time.

"I got this for you," Ruby said quickly, beating him to the punch with her words. Jaune stared down at what was in her hand. She stared down at what was at his.

Her heart skipped a beat.

A tiny stuffed Beowolf, complete with an adorably cartoonish face. It was only about a foot in length, and not particularly wide or thick, but it almost looked like a tiny little puppy that Jaune had gotten for her in the way he presented it.

Jaune in turn stared down at the ORF keychain, and his lips curled into a smile. "You got that for me?"

"You got that for me?" she echoed, nodding to the stuffed animal.

He shrugged. "Yeah. I saw it and thought you'd like it. Since you have the Beowolf head on your pajama top and all."

Ruby found herself smiling as well. Though she'd grown out of sleeping with stuffed animals… a few months ago just before coming to Beacon, she suddenly found herself having no problem with starting up the habit again. Especially if one so cute as this one could be so discretely hidden in her arms as she slept…

"I love it," she said softly, accepting the Beowolf into her hands as she gave Jaune the keychain. Ruby unashamedly hugged it closely to her chest, not caring that it made her look all her age, if not younger. It was a gift. A gift from Jaune.

"Looks like I gotta get me some keys," Jaune said in turn, holding the circular keychain up and examining it like a coin collector might do his latest prized acquisition. "For now though I'll find a way to attach it to my scroll."

Ruby beamed, proud of her knack for gift-giving. The warmth she felt was for more than just that, however. She'd received a gift as well. One that she knew she'd treasure for the rest of her days.

"Welp, it's kinda late," Jaune said, pulling out his scroll to check the time. As well as to perhaps examine the best spot he could attach the keychain to. "We should probably head back before all the Bullheads stop running."

Ruby nodded. It was almost midnight, and at this point she and Jaune had been missing from the dance for a few hours. She wondered what Yang would think of her being gone for so long.

"Sounds good," she agreed, outwardly showing a smile. Inwardly though, she regretted their evening together having to come to its inevitable end.

Beacon. Home sweet home.

Then why was it such a shame to be back?

It was past midnight now, and Ruby and Jaune disembarked from the Bullhead at Beacon's docks. Ahead of them was a short walk back to either the hall where the dance was probably still going on, or back to their dorms to retire for the evening.

Jaune glanced over at Ruby asking what she wanted to do and where she wanted to go. What he saw was a girl who looked like she was growing a plant out of her head. "You've got something in your hair," he pointed, seeing a leaf stuck in her lovely black-red locks.

Ruby ran a hand through it. "Did I get it?"

"Nope. Still there."

She combed her fingers through the hair again. The leaf was just pushed back further. "How about now?"

Jaune chuckled this time, approaching her with his hand up. "Nope, here let me get it."

His fingers reached in to scoop out the leaf that was somehow lodged into Ruby's thick, and as it turned out, silky-smooth hair. His fingers brushed through it, collecting the loose thing before tossing it to the ground. "Wow. Your hair is really soft."

She blinked a couple times before her gaze fell to the ground. "It is?"

"Yeah. It's really nice."

"Oh. Um, thank you," she spoke softly. "I've been stealing Yang's expensive shampoo lately. I figured I wouldn't use much since my hair isn't as long as hers." Her eyes darted back up to peer into his. "Don't tell her, okay?"

Jaune ran a finger and thumb across is mouth like he would a zipper. "My lips are sealed."

"Good." Ruby looked to the ground once more. "Hey, Jaune?"

"Yeah?"

"Can you do that again?"

He looked at her quizzically. "Do what?"

"The hand thing. With my hair."

Jaune's hand came up and he examined his fingers. Surely she didn't mean…

"Oh. You want me to… brush your hair again?"

She nodded. "Yeah. It felt nice."

Who was he to deny his sort-of-date a request like that? If he was being honest with himself, Jaune enjoyed the feeling of running his hand through her hair as well. It was so soft and smooth. It smelled like honey and vanilla. He would have expected something like strawberries, but then again she had told him that she was stealing Yang's shampoo.

As she stepped close to him again, Jaune's fingers found her reddish locks again, and he ran his hand through her hair from her forehead down to the back of her neck. A soft sigh of contentment hummed in her throat. Ruby was making it very hard not to view this as an actual date between boyfriend and girlfriend.

Maybe this really was the ideal time to confess his feelings to her…

"It's really soft," he whispered, running a hand through it again. "Is the color really natural?"

"Mmhmm," she confirmed. "No dying or highlights here."

"I figured." Another stroke of her gorgeous hair. "You don't seem like the kind of girl who'd mess around with hair products too much. Not like Yang or some of my sisters."

"Oh? Are you saying I'm not girly enough?"

He didn't know how to answer that question. Ruby had always prided herself as being a weapons dork. A lover of combat and slaying Grimm. Things that didn't typically mesh well with the stereotypical girl who fussed over hair and makeup.

But here on this night, in her lovely dress, running his hand through her soft hair, Ruby was the prettiest girl he'd ever laid eyes on.

Time to bite the bullet, even as her head found itself resting against his chest while he stroked her hair.

"I think you're the prettiest girl I've ever seen in my life," he whispered, hardly believing that he was finally saying those words. "One who I had a really great time with tonight. And… one who I want to have more great times with…"

He'd all but said it without saying it. He hoped that Ruby would catch his meaning. If not, Jaune wasn't sure if he could muster the courage to ask her to be his girlfriend directly.

Ruby's head came up from its place against his chest, and hopeful silver eyes gazed up at him. "You mean like… a date?"

Jaune nodded. "Yeah. Like tonight. Only… official."

"Official," she echoed. "Like… officially a couple?"

He nodded once more. "Yeah. Ruby, what I'm trying to ask… trying to say is…" He bit his lip. This was so hard. The fear of rejection. The fear of losing her friendship. The fear of losing her. "Will you be my-"

"Yes!" she interrupted, cutting off the most important word. Her eyes widened when she realized what she'd done. "I mean, yes. Yes, Jaune. I'll be your girlfriend. And you'll be my boyfriend." She paused, swallowing awkwardly. "T-that is what you were gonna ask, right?"

Jaune smiled as he nodded yet again. "Yeah. That's exactly what I was going to ask."

Ruby grinned, laughing softly. "Yes. Yes," she repeated. "Very much, yes." She began to cackle now, closing her eyes and shaking her head softly. "Oh man, I can't believe how dumb I must sound right now. I can't even think I'm so happy."

"Don't worry, not thinking is how I usually operate," Jaune chuckled. "We can not think together."

"I'd like that," she said, pressing her head into his chest again. Her arms wrapped around his body to give herself balance. Likely a result of the high heels she was wearing.

"So… was tonight our first date?" he asked the top of her head. He didn't mind. He liked the fact that she was hugging him right now. His own arms came around her back to hold her closely as well.

She nodded into his chest. "Yup."

"It was good. Right?"

"Yup."

"The night's still young. Kinda. What do you want to do now?"

Her head came up from him again, and silver eyes gazed happily up at him. "I kinda wanna dance now, actually."

That answer surprised him. Ruby hadn't been into all that fancy dance stuff before. However, with a boyfriend now… maybe the moment just seemed right to the girl. Maybe her opinion on fancy pantsy dancy stuff had changed.

"The dance should still be going on," he said, looking toward the building where they'd once been that night. "We could still catch a few songs before it's over."

Ruby shook her head. "Would it… would it be okay if we didn't dance in there?" she asked. Jaune wondered if she was too shy to do it in front of other people. Like Neptune had been before they'd spoken. "What about, maybe out here? Alone?"

A midnight dance under the moonlight with his beautiful new girlfriend? How could he say no to that? Especially when those gorgeous silver eyes stared up at him so hopefully?

Fishing his scroll out from his pocket, Jaune opened it up and began searching for an appropriate song to set the mood. "I think that sounds perfect."

The music started up, and Jaune's hands shifted so that one rested on the small of her back, while the other gripped one of hers. "Shall we dance?"

Ruby smiled a toothy, unrestrained grin up at him. "I'd love to."

That evening the pair of teens danced the night away, the shattered moon being the only one to bear witness to their new love.

Ruby felt on top of the world as she glided back to her dorm room. With Jaune's hand in her own, any pain she might have felt from a night in her lady-stilts had evaporated. All that remained was the pure bliss of new romance. Something before coming to Beacon she never would have thought she'd be interested in.

Standing with her back to her own door, and Jaune's back to his team's own, the two stared lovingly into one another's eyes.

"I had a really good time tonight," she spoke meekly.

"Me too."

"We should definitely do this again."

"Next weekend?" he offered.

"Why not tomorrow?"

Jaune smiled. "You're right. Why not tomorrow? After all, you're only a few feet away."

What an amazing perk of rooming only across a short hall from each other. Whenever they would want to see each other outside of class, hang out, maybe even have a good old fashioned sleepover playing video games and eating pizza… he was only a door away.

His smile was contagious, and Ruby grinned back. "Yeah you are," she said happily. "Boyfriend."

"Girlfriend."

The words made her heart flutter and her stomach do back flips. What a wonderful word. An amazing word she had never truly appreciated until now.

"So, um," Jaune said nervously. "This is the part in TV shows where the couple kiss goodnight. Did you wanna…?"

The question hung in the air like a gigantic Nevermore, and true to her nature, Ruby had to get it.

The girl nodded hurriedly. "Y-yes. A lot. Very a lot."

She'd have normally winced at her awkwardness, but there was no time to think about that as Jaune stepped closer to her. As one hand rested on her back, while the other came to rest on her face. As his head tilted ever so slightly to the right…

Ruby closed her eyes and mimicked the action. Leaning up on the toes of her high-heels and steadying her hands on his shoulders, Ruby found his lips.

Her first kiss. Her first real kiss. With a boy. A boy! She was kissing a boy!

She was kissing Jaune.

His lips were electric, and though the kiss was only brief, Ruby came back down to her shoes feeling like it was the greatest thing in the world. Like she'd just slain a hundred Beowolves single-handedly. She was grinning from ear to ear as her eyes opened to peer into Jaune's loving blue ones.

"Wow," he gasped.

"Yeah. That was… wow."

"So… I'll see you tomorrow?"

Ruby nodded eagerly. "Yeah. Tomorrow. Definitely. You can't miss me. I'm, um, I wear bright red."

Jaune chuckled. "Yeah. Can't miss you. Except… I will miss you."

Ruby's face turned as red as her signature cloak. "I- I- I mean… I…"

He barely contained his laughter as he turned and unlocked Team JNPR's door. "See ya later, Ruby."

He'd… he'd… he'd done that on purpose! Flustered her like that and got the last word in! She must have looked like a total dork! There would be payback. Vengeance. Retribution!

Not so fast!

Ruby rushed forward before Jaune stepped into his room and grabbed him by the shoulder. Spinning him around and revealing a face filled with shock, Ruby went on the attack. She lunged up at him and smashed her lips against his for a second time.

Only this time the powerful battering ram known as her tongue forced open the gates of his lips, and she kissed him in a way she'd only ever read about or heard of in movies and TV. Wild breaths and moans poured out of her lips into his as she plundered his mouth, taking what she desired from her brand new boyfriend as a gesture of payback for attempting to leave her blushing in the hall.

Jaune didn't seem to mind in the slightest, as his arms wrapped around her back and returned the kiss with as much skill and vigor as a novice in the art could. They were both new to this, teenagers merely smashing their lips together and wrestling their tongues. Whether their technique was good or not wasn't important. It felt good. That was all that mattered.

When they came apart it was Jaune who was blushing this time. A wicked grin split her lips, and she knew she had just gotten one over on her teasing boyfriend. Score another one for the Gaming Queen Ruby Rose!

"Wow," he gasped, still catching his breath from the passionate kiss she'd given him. "Ruby, that was…"

"Don't stay up too late thinking about it," she winked suggestively at him. Placing a hand on his chest, she let it linger there for a few seconds. "Good night, Jaune."

She shoved him gently inside his room before reaching for the door handle and pulling it closed.

Releasing a deep breath of her own, Ruby stumbled back against the opposite wall, smiling as she wondered if that second kiss would be enough for Jaune to get hot and bothered by it. Enough for him to maybe be forced to take care of a little problem of his.

All while thinking about her. It was… a very flattering thought, to be honest.

"Ruby?" a familiar voice called.

She turned to see Yang approaching, still in her white dress. She must have just been coming back from the dance herself.

"Oh, hey, Yang," she greeted. "How was the dance?"

"It was fine. But it might have been better if you'd actually decided to stay. Where were you all night?"

Where? Oh, just her first date with her brand new boyfriend. She couldn't tell Yang that, however. Not because she feared for Jaune's safety from her sister. Rather, it would be so, so cruel to rub it into her blonde bombshell of a sister's face that she had a boyfriend while Yang did not.

Before she could answer, Ruby felt her scroll buzz. Pulling it out she saw a text from 'Vomit Boy'. Good night, Ruby, it read. A sense of satisfaction and victory washed over her. He must have been so flustered that he couldn't even say the words to her face after the tongue-tackling she'd given to his own. Probably for the best with Yang standing out here with her.

Ruby smiled coyly, turning to unlock the door of their room. "Ladies don't kiss and tell, Yang," she smirked before stepping inside.

She didn't see Yang's face, but the brief silence which settled over them spoke volumes. "Kiss? What-" Yang stopped herself. "Wait, where was Jaune? I didn't see him either after you disappeared…"

Ruby didn't answer, instead sliding her heels off before going to grab her pajamas.

"Ruby, did you and Jaune… no way. No freaking way!"

Yes freaking way. It's exactly what you think it is, Yang.

"Oh my gods," the blonde girl gushed. "You and him? My baby sister has a boyfriend? This is amazing! Ruby you have to tell me everything!"

She would not. After all, Ruby was a lady now. A grown, mature lady with a boyfriend who she loved and cared for. One who loved and cared for her back.

Never mind that this mature lady had spent all night at an arcade with said boy. Yang didn't need to know that little detail.

Ruby spent the remaining of her waking hours that night attempting to fight off the prying questions of her sister. She doubted she would have slept much that night anyway with how much her thoughts kept returning to Jaune.

Author's Note: I do love me some Lancaster, so it was very nice to get a request to write some. Both the commissioner and I would love to know what you thought of it, as well as if you have any thoughts or ideas for potential future chapters of this story continuity.

My thanks go out to Burdman for working with me while writing this idea, as well as all of you for reading. We hope you enjoyed it.